Family
by The Lionhearted Phoenix
Summary: One late summer night, Sirius runs away from his family and goes to James for help.


James knew he was lucky. Incredibly lucky. While the Dark Lord was on the rise, and Muggles were being slaughtered, and families all over were going into hiding, James was sitting comfortably in his mansion, with two loving parents, and the status of Pureblood to protect them all to boot.

It was, therefore, not troublesome to him when, one late July night, there was a soft rapping on the door, although none of the Potters had been expecting anyone. His parents were asleep, and James, who had been reading _Quidditch through the Ages_ for the umpteenth time, set it aside and went to answer the door.

He glanced through the peephole, furrowed his brow, and opened the door. "Sirius?" he said, surprised.

His best friend looked awful. There were dark circles under his eyes and his normally well-groomed hair was lank and sweaty. He had grown in the month since James had last seen him, and it was evident in both his height and his face, which had lost some of its youthful roundness. He had a knapsack slung across his back, and was holding his left arm awkwardly, cradling it against his chest. There was a dark slash across his cheek, dripping blood in intervals.

"How did you get here?" said James, letting Sirius in.

"I Apparated," said Sirius, his voice cracking from lack of use. His shoulders were sagging with exhaustion.

"How?" James said, bewildered. "You don't have a license."

"I know," said Sirius heavily, sliding his left sleeve back and revealing his skinless, bloody forearm. "I Splinched myself."

"Let me get you some bandages," said James.

"Thanks."

James went into the kitchen, trusting Sirius to show himself into the sitting room, but when he returned, laden with armfuls of gauze and Essence of Dittany, he found Sirius exactly where he had left him, staring at the front door with an expression of doubt on his face.

"You should sit down," James told him. "You look awful."

"I'm fine."

"You're swaying," James pointed out, and Sirius gave the smallest of smiles, still staring at the door. "Look, just come into the sitting room, will you?"

Sirius followed him and sank into an armchair as soon as they entered the room, closing his eyes and letting out a small sigh of exhaustion. James, snatching up his wand, pointed it at the fireplace and muttered, " _Incendio_." A jet of light shot from his wand and within seconds a warm fire was crackling on the logs, sparks hissing and spitting into the air.

"I don't suppose you're going to tell me what you're doing here?" said James as he sat down across from Sirius, uncorked the tiny bottle of Dittany, and unrolled a long strip of gauze.

Sirius didn't answer for a long while, and James had just reached the conclusion that Sirius must have fallen asleep when he finally spoke.

"I ran away," he said in a soft voice.

James stared at his best friend. All these years, when Sirius had been talking about how awful his family was, how the only reason he hadn't left yet was that he couldn't leave his brother, James had never thought it would come to this.

"Why?" was all he could manage.

There was another long pause, and then Sirius mumbled, "I couldn't stand it anymore."

"Couldn't stand what?" said James, leaning forward.

Sirius opened his eyes. "He's...my brother...he's going to join the Death Eaters."

James was silent for a moment, and then said, carefully, "I thought you didn't care either way. You always said it was bound to happen." He reached out and took Sirius's arm, letting a few drops of Dittany fall onto the wound. The skin began to regrow.

"He's my family," said Sirius shortly. "I thought...maybe if I was a good brother...if I made a good example...maybe he would change his mind."

"There was nothing you could do," said James quietly. "He made his choice."

"I wouldn't have left," Sirius whispered, his voice now so soft that James could hardly hear him. He half-wondered if Sirius was talking to himself. "I wouldn't have done it, but my parents were siding with him, talking about all the honor they would have, all the glory, and I couldn't stop myself. I told them they were fools. They were only going to die in shame."

"Sirius," James whispered, but Sirius talked over him, seeming not to hear him.

"Well, that was it for them. My mum pulled out her wand and I felt something hot hit my face. I ran upstairs and packed. I was gone within two minutes."

Sirius took a shuddering breath, and his eyes, dark and unblinking, reflected the firelight. "I've never seen my brother look at me with that much hate," he whispered.

"Look, mate," James said softly, as he wrapped Sirius's nearly-healed arm in gauze, "you were right, weren't you? They're the ones who should be sorry."

"He's my family," said Sirius again, his voice cracking. "I don't even have a family anymore."

"Rubbish," James scoffed. "You've got me, and Moony and Wormtail. We're your family."

"I know," sighed Sirius. "I came here because I knew you'd understand."

"I do –"

"And don't worry. I'll be gone in a few days."

James was taken aback. "What?"

"I won't be a burden for long," said Sirius. "I'll stay here until I can get to Gringotts and get some money. Then I'll find a flat for myself in the city."

He accepted the cotton James offered him and pressed it to his cheek to staunch the bleeding. "You'll stay here as long as you like," said James firmly. "There's no point in wasting your money and your time when you can stay with us."

"I can't do that to you –"

"Look," said James flatly, "do you want proof that you belong here?"

Sirius stared at him, bewildered, and James grabbed his uninjured arm and began to haul him up the stairs.

"Where are you –"

"Just shut up and follow me," said James. He turned the landing, still dragging Sirius behind him, and opened a large set of doors. "Mum?" he said, peering into the darkness. "Dad?"

There was a soft mutter of " _Lumos_ " and they were both staring into bright wand lights.

"James?" said his mother sleepily. "Who's...?" She sat up straighter. " _Sirius_?" she said incredulously.

Then they were both out of bed and hugging him, James's father patting Sirius on the back and his mother fussing over the state of his face.

"See?" said James in Sirius's ear. "They love you."

And Sirius let himself be enveloped in their hugs, let his walls come down as he was accepted into their home.

After all, they were family.


End file.
